Beat The Heat At Salted Caramel’s Pop-Up Popsicle Shop

Salted Caramel began on a dare, with bacon bourbon caramel corn. Photo courtesy of Salted Caramel.

This Saturday, Salted Caramel is putting the “pop” in “pop-up.” For one day only, July 2, 12-4 p.m., the confectioners will operate a Pop-Up Popsicle Shoppe out of the Espresso Thy Art space at 4019 N. Damen Ave.

Salted Caramel’s co-owners, Ginna Haravon and Bridget Doherty, typically work out of a commercial kitchen in Jefferson Park and sell their treats, best described as “old-fashioned with a twist” or “classically edgy,” to outlets such as City Provisions and Provenance Food & Wine.

The pop-up concept allows the partners to dip their toes into a storefront setting to test the retail waters. “The neighborhood is perfect for foot traffic and is filled with families and young people who are into the food scene,” Doherty says of their choice of location. “We’re taking a stab at retail to see how it goes. Our dream is to open up a little shop some day.” (My dream is for that little shop to open up right next door to my condo.)

Until then, the pop-up shop is an excellent way for sweets lovers to get their hands on the complete array of Salted Caramels signature items, including bacon bourbon caramel corn, stout marshmallows and pretzel graham crackers (pair these last two for a unique S’more), along with a new line of frozen treats. Lemon raspberry goat cheese cups and chocolate molé pudding pops will debut on Saturday, along with strawberry rhubarb popsicles and honey ice cream sandwiches, which were created especially for the event. Keeping our four-legged friends in mind, Salted Caramel has also designed popsicles, sans sticks, for dogs.

The pop-up shop will play off Salted Caramel’s circus theme, featuring carnival games, giveaways for the kiddies and plenty of Salted Caramel swag. “Our branding is a vintage circus,” Doherty says. “We never want to be taken too seriously.”

That doesn’t mean Doherty and Haravon are slacking off in preparations for Saturday’s shindig. “We’re running around like crazy,” Doherty says. “We’re a two-girl show.”